Technology important growth enabler for Canadian businesses: Microsoft 14 January, 2008 By Vanessa Ho

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"This is critically important to the Canadian economy in order to develop a marketplace that is on par with other nations," said Jill Schoolenberg, general manager of small and medium business with Microsoft Canada, during a roundtable with Microsoft customers discussing the results.

When respondents were asked what they need to achieve success, nearly half identified a well thought of growth or business plan followed by the willingness to invest in new technology.

In terms of what technologies to invest in, mid-size and enterprise organizations had differing priorities, said Schoolenberg. For mid-size companies, what was important to them was technology that improved access to company/business data such as CRM, SOA and business intelligence solutions followed by new or upgraded desktop software and new or upgraded intranet and portal software. Enterprises, however, saw a need for new communications tools or technology, better integration between offices and better access to company/business data as the top enablers of productivity.

"[Technology is about] doing more with less in order to open new opportunities for growth and new ways of doing business. That is the power of innovation and without technology, we couldn't do it," said Ted Maulucci, CIO of Tridel, who was also at the roundtable.

Peter Hwang, CEO of EnWise Power Solutions, added that investing in technology will help companies to have a well thought of growth plan but how much to invest on the onset, he asked.

"It is like the chicken and the egg scenario," Hwang said.

Maulucci said that while making investments on innovations can be challenging, "it is critical to take the chance once awhile."

Other findings include that while 36 per cent of mid-size businesses were satisfied with their existing IT budgets, 64 per cent said they may or need to expand their IT budgets in 2008.

A surprising finding, according to Ed Daugavietis, senior analyst of networking technologies with Info Tech, was that two-thirds of respondents were planning to expand their operation over the next 12 months and that 80 per cent said that the current business conditions in Canada were either good or ideal.

"[The results] tell me there is some strength in corporate Canada that isn't evident in watching the news [where we hear things like] downsizing, the rising dollar and the difficulties in the manufacturing and retail sector," said Daugavietis. "As bad as we think things are, the people that have the hands on the levers of corporate Canada feel good about things and do not let things like the possibility of a U.S. recession frighten them."

He added that companies investing more in IT to produce returns is also another reason why organization have felt optimistic.

"They have control there and if they invest in the right IT tools, it results in gains," Daugavietis noted.